Ignition system.



v a. D. KUNKLE.

QIGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLlcATloN FILED Nov` 25, 1914.

1 1 75,362 Patented Mm. 14, Qa

/ l 75 /aj z INVENTOR Bayard D. m/r/P ATTORNEY .artnr onirica.

BAYARD D. KUNKLE, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING- v HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMIANY, A CORPOBATIGN OF '.E'ENNSYLf VANIA.

IQNTON SYSTEM.

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My invention relates to ignition systems and particularly to systems in which the direction of current through the primary circuit is periodically reversed.

My invention has for its object to provide a system of the above indicated character which embodies a simple and elicient means for reversing the direction of current traversing the contact members of an interrupter in the primary circuit. l

ln the operation of interrupter mechanisms for the ignition circuits of internal combustion engines, it is desirable that the current be reversed periodically in order to maintain substantially plane surfaces upon the faces of the contact members.` If each of the contact members is permanently connected to one pole of a battery or a magneto, as the case may be, current always flows from the same contact member to the other in the arc which follows their separation to break the primary circuit. The result is to cause one contact piece to become pitted because of the surface metal being carried away and to produce projections on the surface of the other contact member because of the metal deposited during the existence of the arc. The eiciency of the interrupter is decreased by the resulting poor electrical contact be' tween the irregular surfaces of its contact4 members, and the life of the mechanism i correspondingly shortened.

According to the present invention, l pro. vide a mechanism which operates to reverse the connections of the source of current to the primary circuit upon each closure of the circuit of the usual electric starting motor. inasmuch as the engine is ordinarily in continuous use for a short time only, thereversal of the connections occurs with suicient frequency to neutralize the tendency to transfer metalHrom one contact member to the other. The result is not only to mate.- rially lengthen the life of the interruptor, but to increase its eiliciency during operation Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application led November 25, 1914. Serial No. 873,940.

by maintaining substantially plane surfaces upon the faces of the contact members.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a plan view of a switching mechanism constructed in accordance with my inven* tlon, the cover plate being removed. Fig. 2

is a View, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the mechanism of Fig. l. Figs.

3 and 4 are views of details of the ratchet mechanism. Figs. 5 and 6 are views, of

' modifications of the ratchet mechanism. Fig.

7 is va diagrammatic view of circuits and apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and l 4, a Iswitch comprises a cylindrical casing member 1, the open ends of which are respectively inclosed by a disk 2 of insulating material and a coverv plate 3 which may be of metal or other suitable material. The mechanism for controlling the starting mof tor circiut comprises a stationary contact member 4 and a coacting movableV contact 'member 5 that is carried by a blade spring 6. A shunt conductor 7 of comparatively large capacity connects the contact member 5 to a l suitable stationary terminal.

The switch is provided with an operating lever or handle 8 which is connected to a hollow cylindrical member 9 of insulating material. The member 9, which is rotatably mounted upon a fixed shaft 10, and which is provided with a flatportion 11, constitutes a cam for' actuating the spring 6 to effect the engagement of thecontact members 4. and 5. A second cylindrical member 12, of insulating material, is rotatably mounted upon the shaftlO `in alinement with the memberv 9. The cylindrical member 12 is provided with a pair of contact segments 13 which are disposed upon diametrically opposite portions of its periphery. Eachof the contact segments113 is provided with a. projecting por-A tion 14; having an inclined side to' form a ratchet tooth forV coacting with stationary resilient contact members l5. The contact members 15, which are four in number, are mounted upon the insulating disk 2 andare .arranged in oppositely disposed pairs around the periphery of the cylinder 12.

The cylinders 9` and 12 are connected by a ratchet mechanism comprising downwardly projecting inclined members 16 that are carried by the cylinder9 and coact with pins 17 th-at are carried by the cylinder 12. A contact segment 18, which is mounted upon the cylinder 9, coacts with a conductor 19 to ground one of the contact members 15 when the lever 8 is in the on position.

A modification of the ratchet mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Twol semicircular plates 2O of conducting materlal are mounted upon the inner end of the cylinder 12. Each of the plates 20 is provided with a pair of ratchet teeth 21 and with a projecting inclined portion 22 which constitutes a pawl for coacting with pins 17 that are carried by the cylinder 9. It will be understood that, when this form of ratchet mechanism is employed, the contact members 15 will be of sufficient length to engage the plates 20.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 7 which is a diagrammatic view of circuits and apparatus embodying my invention. The ignition circuit, which is controlled by the contact members 13 and 15, comprises an interrupter 23 which is included in the primary circuit of an induction coil 24. The secondary circuit of the induction coil is omitted as unnecessary to an understanding of the present invention. The contact members 4 and 5 are connected in series with a storage battery and a dynamo-electric machine 25 having a series field winding 26. The dynamo-electric machine 25 operates as a motor to start the engine and is then driven by the engine to operate as a generator to charge the storage battery.

W'hen the lever 8 is in its illustrated or off position, the contact vmembers 18 and 19 are disengaged to open the primary circuit of the induction coil 24. The contact segments 13 respectively engage two of the four Contact members 15. When the lever 8 is actuated in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the resilient members 16 engage pins 17 and the cylinder 12 is rotated through an angle of approXi mately 90. The result is to shift the contact segments 13 through the same angle so that they now connect a diti'erent pair of the contact members 15. The connections of the contact members of the interrupter to the respective poles of the battery are thereby reversed.

The lever 8 operates also to simultaneously effect-the' engagement of the contact members 4 and 5 by shifting the flat portion 11- out of engagement with the spring 6. The dynamo-ellectric machine 25 then operates as a motor to start the engine of the.

automobile with which it is operatively connected. When the engine operates under its own power, the dynamo-electricfmachine 25 is driven as a generator to charge the storage battery.

When it is desired to stop the engine, the lever 8 is actuated to its off position, whereupon the ignition circuit is broken by the separation of the contact members 18 and. 19. The lat portion 11 of the cylinder 9 again registers with the spring 6 and the contact members 4 and 5 are separated to break the circuit of the dynamo-electric machine 25. The clockwise rotation of the cylinder 9 does not aii'ect the position of the cylinder 12 because backward rotation of the latter is prevented by the contact mem-- bers 13 which engage the ratchet teeth 14.

When the lever 8 is actuated to again start the engine, the same cycle of operations will be repeated. The Contact members 13 will accordingly be rotated in a counter clockwise direction through an angle of substantially 90o to reverse the connections of the contact members of the interrupter to the respective poles of the battery. It Will be readily understood that the operation will be the same in case the ratchet mechanism embodied in Figs. 5 and 6 is employed.

Various modifications of my invention may occur to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, and it is understood that such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrical system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a source of current, a starting motor, and an interrupter, of means -for simultaneously controlling the circuit of said motor and reversing the connections of said interruptor to said source of current.

2. In an electrical system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a source of current, a starting motor, and an interruptor, of a switching mechanism for simultaneously controlling the circuits oit said motor and said interrupter, said mechanism operating to reverse the connections of said interrupter to said source of current at each actuation. to complete said circuits.

3. In an electrical. system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a source of current, a starting motor, and an ignition circuit comprising an interrupter, of a switching mechanism for simultaneously controlling the electrical connections of said motor and said circuit to said source and for reversing the connections of said interrupter.

4. In an electrical system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a source of current, a starting motor, and an ignition interruptor, of a switching mechanism for controlling the electrical connections of said motor to said source and comprising a ratchet mechanism for reversing the connections of said interrupter upon the closing of said motor circuit.

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5. In an electrical system for internal' source of current, a starting motor, and an In testimony whereof, I have hereunto ignition interrupter, of a unitary switching subscribed my name this 20th day of Nov. 10 mechanism for simultaneously connecting 1914.

said source to said motor and to said interrupter, said mechanism comprising an 0p- BAYARD D' KUNKLE' erating handle and a reversing switch, and Witnesses: a. ratchet mechanism for operatively con- S. M. TAYLOR,

necting said handle to said reversing switch. B. B. HINES. 

